IMO Secretary-General Mitropoulos reaches out to seafarers in open letter

Briefing:
10,
March 3, 2011

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IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos has reached out to seafarers in an open letter, distributed worldwide via shipping and seafarer organizations.

The letter reviews the achievements made under last year’s World Maritime Day theme “2010: Year of the Seafarer”, pointing to increased public awareness of seafarers and their work; the adoption of major amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) and its associated Code; and the creation of an annual “Day of the Seafarer.”

It also re-assures seafarers that IMO’s 2011 theme “Piracy: orchestrating the response”, and its associated action plan, aim to encourage a decisive and effective global response to piracy; and urges seafarers to play their role in implementing best management practices when sailing through piracy-infested areas.